Introduction

Congratulations on your decision to earn the Certified Securities Compliance Professional® (CSCP®) credential. The NSCP certification distinguishes individuals with intermediate to advanced proficiency and a commitment to advancing securities compliance practices, lifelong learning, and professional development. Candidates that achieve the CSCP designation will have successfully demonstrated expertise of both broker-dealer and investment adviser compliance best practices, rules and regulations, and industry standards.

The CSCP certification program is designed to meet the dynamic changes and the increased responsibility and authority now carried by compliance professionals in the financial services industry.  The certification provides a means for compliance professionals to demonstrate mastery of the two principal regulatory regimes that currently govern industry participants. The CSCP credential acknowledges the importance to all compliance professionals of understanding each of these regimes. The CSCP program certifies those who are leaders in the knowledge of standards and best practices for the compliance profession throughout the financial industry.

This handbook outlines the design and content of the examination and guides candidates through the entire CSCP program from application through test taking to certification. It is designed to answer candidate questions pertaining to the CSCP examination and CSCP credential and help them decide whether they meet the qualifications for candidacy. Specific details regarding examination preparation, examination competencies and scoring are also included.

Certification

Certification is a process by which a nongovernmental agency recognizes the competency of individuals who have met certain qualifications as determined by the agency. To achieve certification from NSCP, individuals must meet the exam eligibility requirements, pass the exam, and fulfill the CSCP Credential eligibility requirements. Certification provides both personal validation and validation for employers and consumers of professional competence.

About NSCP

NSCP is the only nonprofit professional association representing the compliance professional exclusively. The organization serves its members and the industry through education and information. Since our founding in 1987, our membership has grown to over 1,700 in number and spans from broker-dealers, investment advisers, bank and insurance firms, to law and accounting firms. NSCP offers practical and interpretive guidance on compliance-related matters; alerts its members to important regulatory developments; sponsors educational meetings that serve as forums for exchanging ideas and information; provides professional analyses and counsel in regard to securities laws and regulations authorized by the states, federal agencies and the self-regulatory agencies (e.g. FINRA); and promotes professionalism among compliance officials within the securities industry.

About Board of Governors

The CSCP Board of Governors (BOG) provides oversight of the competence assessment and certification programs in accordance with the direction of the NSCP Board of Directors. The Board of Governors oversees the development and administration of all competency assessment programs; considers policy matters; develops long-range planning strategies; and recommends actions on specific competency assessment issues to NSCP’s Board of Directors.

Independent Testing Agency

Pearson VUE (www.pearsonvue.com) is the global leader in electronic testing services for academic admissions, certification and licensure programs. Pearson VUE offers exams through the world's largest network of more than 5,000 test centers in 165 countries, providing testing services for information technology, regulatory and certification boards, academic, government and corporate clients. Its innovative technology offers the security and control required by admissions, licensure and certification programs while its commitment to service provides customers with an unmatched testing experience. Pearson VUE is a business of Pearson, the international media company, whose other businesses include the Financial Times Group, Pearson Education, and the Penguin Group.

The CSCP exam, originally launched October 2007 in Pearson VUE’s owned-and-operated test center network in the United States and Canada, is available worldwide at 244 Pearson Professional Centers in 26 countries.